Arunraj K G
Arunraj K G
TVKMLA · Tiruchengodu- Cabinet role
- Cabinet Minister for Commercial Taxes & Deed Registration, Government of Tamil Nadu (sworn in 10 May 2026; portfolio per multi-source pre-oath reporting, awaiting final Lok Bhavan order). His IRS background — particularly the 2016 Neyveli ₹90-cr seizure — informs the revenue brief.
- Born
- Salem district, Tamil Nadu
- Constituency
- Tiruchengodu · AC 96
- District
- Namakkal
- Party
- Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam
- Profession
- Doctor (MBBS) → Indian Revenue Service officer (2009-2025) → Politician (TVK General Secretary, Propaganda & Policy)
- 2026 result
- won by 28,172 votes
- Education
- Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery(MBBS) , The Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R Medicial University, 2002
At a glance
Education
- MedicalMBBS, Madras Medical College — followed by rural healthcare service.
- 2009Cleared UPSC — joined the Indian Revenue Service.
ECI affidavit (2026)
0 pending criminal cases declared in the 2026 ECI affidavit. Total declared assets: ₹12.77 cr.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Total declared assets | ₹12.77 cr |
| Liabilities | ₹1.41 cr |
Career timeline
- MedicalMBBS from Madras Medical College; rural-healthcare service before pivoting to civil services.
- 2009Clears UPSC; joins the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax). Postings across Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra.
- 2009Long-standing bond with Vijay begins — TVK's press note credits the Neyveli/income-tax era as the start of their connection.
- 2016Leads a high-profile income-tax raid in Neyveli, seizing ~₹90 crore in cash. Earns national recognition.
- Pre-2024Helps the TVK team navigate the party's Election Commission registration paperwork while still in service in Bihar.
- May 2025Voluntarily retires from the IRS.
- 2025Joins TVK; appointed General Secretary (Propaganda & Policy) by Vijay.
- 23 Apr 2026Wins Tiruchengodu (AC 96) by 28,172 votes — TVK's marquee Kongu-belt face.
- 10 May 2026Sworn in as Cabinet Minister for Commercial Taxes and Deed Registration in CM Vijay's first ministry — a portfolio that ports his IRS revenue-collection training directly into state government.
The 2026 win — Tiruchengodu
Arunraj K G polled 79,500 votes, defeating Srmt Sekar A Chandrasekar R (AIADMK) by a margin of 28,172.
| # | Candidate | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arunraj K G | TVK | 79,500 |
| 2 | Srmt Sekar A Chandrasekar R | AIADMK | 51,328 |
| 3 | Eswaran E R | DMK | 49,465 |
| 4 | Revathi K | NTK | 6,085 |
| 5 | Saravanasundaram S | IND | 1,190 |
→ Full Tiruchengodu (AC 96) seat page · district: Namakkal
Family
S/o · D/o · W/o Late K P Ganesan. Spouse: Doctor ,Asst Professor at Kilpauk Medical College.
Party & ideology
Arun Raj's profile — doctor + IRS officer + Vijay confidant since 2009 — gives TVK a rare profile of policy heft + Kongu-belt rural credibility. His Tiruchengodu win is a key TVK Western-Tamil-Nadu anchor, complementing Sengottaiyan's Gobichettipalayam in Erode.
FAQ
Who is K. G. Arun Raj?
First-time MLA from Tiruchengodu (AC 96), elected on TVK ticket in 2026 with 79,500 votes (margin 28,172). A doctor-turned-IRS-officer who took voluntary retirement in 2025 to join TVK as General Secretary (Propaganda & Policy). Sworn in as Cabinet Minister for Commercial Taxes and Deed Registration on 10 May 2026.
What was the famous Neyveli raid?
In 2016, Arun Raj — then a Joint Commissioner in the Income Tax department — led a high-profile raid in Neyveli that seized approximately ₹90 crore in cash. The action drew national attention and is one of his calling-card stories.
Why did Arun Raj leave the IRS?
He took voluntary retirement in 2025 to join TVK. Per The Print and The Federal, his 'heart was always in politics' — and his bond with Vijay had been quietly building since their 2009 IT-department interactions.
What portfolio does he hold in CM Vijay's cabinet?
Commercial Taxes and Deed Registration per multi-source pre-oath reporting (BusinessToday, voterlistindia.in, The South First). Final allocation will be confirmed when Lok Bhavan publishes the official portfolio order. He was sworn in alongside CM Vijay on 10 May 2026.
Why Commercial Taxes as a portfolio?
Arun Raj's IRS career — sixteen years across the Income Tax department, including the marquee 2016 Neyveli ₹90-cr seizure — gives him direct revenue-collection experience. The Commercial Taxes portfolio (state GST and VAT compliance) is the closest state-government parallel to his IRS work.
Sources
- The Print · Doctor-turned-civil-servant joins TVK — https://theprint.in/politics/doctor-turned-civil-servant-whose-heart-was-always-in-politics-kg-arunraj-set-to-join-tvk/2647734/
- The Federal · IRS officer KG Arunraj joins TVK — https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/irs-officer-turned-politician-kg-arunraj-joins-tvk-191148
- The News Minute · Vijay appoints ex-IRS officer KG Arunraj as TVK propaganda chief — https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/vijay-appoints-ex-irs-officer-kg-arunraj-as-tvk-propaganda-and-policy-chief
- Arun Raj myneta affidavit (2026) — https://myneta.info/TamilNadu2026/candidate.php?candidate_id=975
- The Week · TVK's six-man inner circle — https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2026/05/09/the-architects-of-vijay-path-to-power-meet-the-six-man-inner-circle-behind-tvk.html
- BusinessToday · Doctor, ex-IRS officer, 29-year-old MLA: Vijay's first cabinet — https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/doctor-ex-irs-officer-29-year-old-mla-meet-the-ministers-in-vijays-first-cabinet-530687-2026-05-10
- ANI · N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna and seven others sworn in — https://aninews.in/news/national/general-news/tamil-nadu-n-anand-aadhav-arjuna-and-seven-others-sworn-in-as-ministers-in-vijays-cabinet20260510110727/
- Election Commission of India · TN 2026 — https://results.eci.gov.in/ResultAcGenMay2026/